By Justin Muszynski
Hartford Courant
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — The Connecticut Office of Inspector General has found “no doubt” that a Bridgeport police officer was justified when he opened fire on a knife-wielding man who charged at him in May 2024.
The details of the investigation were released Monday by Inspector General Eliot Prescott, who concluded that Officer Israel Colon of the Bridgeport Police Department acted objectively reasonable when he fired three rounds at Dale Stephenson.
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“I am pleased, support, and agree with the Inspector General’s findings,” Bridgeport Chief Roderick Porter said in a statement. “Thank you to the Inspector General’s office for their thoroughness and professionalism shown toward the department and police officers.
“While I am pleased that this clears my officer, this was ultimately a tragic event; one which the officer was faced with imminent threat of deadly force and had to make a split second decision,” Porter said. “This is a clear situation where the officer’s professionalism and training were followed.”
Stephenson, who was 49 at the time, was reportedly holding two knives above his head when he sprinted toward the 28-year-old Colon, who had responded to Birdseye Street around 6 a.m. on May 16, 2024 , on the report of a man knocking on doors and acting erratically while waving two knives in the air, according to Prescott’s report. Colon was the first on scene and asked for additional units when he encountered Stephenson in the middle of the street and confirmed he had two blades on him, the report said.
Colon got out of his cruiser and was about 60 feet away from Stephenson when he called out to him, “Hey, brother,” according to Prescott’s report and Colon’s body camera footage. Just as this was happening, Officer Darryl Wilson , Jr., pulled up in a cruiser.
The footage shows Stephenson immediately charging toward Colon, who backs away and can be heard saying “Hey, hey, hey. Don’t do it, don’t it, don’t do it.” Colon fired three shots at Stephenson once he got to within about five feet of him, according to the report.
Stephenson, who fell to the ground and dropped both knives, was taken to a hospital and ultimately survived the shooting.
“Officer Colon honestly and sincerely believed that Stephenson was about to inflict serious physical harm to him by sprinting at him with two large knives raised about his head in a menacing fashion,” Prescott wrote in his report. “Any reasonable police officer under the totality of the circumstances would have believed the same. Officer Colon honestly and sincerely believed that the use of deadly physical force was necessary when Stephenson closed to within five feet of him with knives poised to stab him.
“A reasonable police officer, under the circumstances thrust upon Officer Colon, would undoubtedly have shared the belief that the use of deadly physical force was necessary to protect himself from serious physical injury or death,” Prescott added.
According to the report, Stephenson was shot in the left leg and left arm. Immediately after the shooting, Colon moved both knives away from Stephenson and began giving him medical attention after handcuffing him, the report said.
Colon put a tourniquet around his leg and continued looking for additional gunshot wounds, the report said.
Police found that Stephenson at the time lived in an apartment on Birdseye Street , according to the report. In the street, authorities reportedly found two Farberware knives that had eight-inch blades, the report said. On the northern side of Birdseye Street, police found a black sword with a 28-inch blade.
Stephenson was treated for both gunshot wounds at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Authorities alleged that he acted aggressively and spit at the medical staff, the report said. He reportedly tested positive for cannabis and benzodiazepine use, Prescott wrote. The report does not indicate whether investigators with Prescott’s office interviewed Stephenson about the incident.
Prescott wrote in his report that the investigation determined that there was “no doubt” that Colon was justified.
“Officer Colon arrived at the scene and almost instantaneously was charged at by a person wielding knives in both hands,” Prescott wrote. “He had no time to retreat or to attempt de-escalation strategies. He did not have other officers in a position to protect him if he were to try safely to use non-lethal force against Stephenson.
“Nor did he realistically have enough time to do so,” Prescott continued. “He played no role in creating the necessity for the use of deadly physical force. The potentially deadly situation was upon him immediately after he stepped out of his cruiser, and he was justified in using deadly physical force to protect himself.”
Stephenson was arrested following the shooting on charges of attempted first-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree breach of peace, according to court records. Records reviewed Monday indicated he has accepted a plea deal that required him to plead guilty to amended charges of attempted second-degree assault with a weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon.
Stephenson is free on a promise to appear and is scheduled to face sentencing on Sept. 18 .
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